Ethan Bloom '24
If you were to venture down to the tennis courts on a sunny day on the Mesa, you would probably first hear the sounds of laughter and friendly trash talk coming from the courts. You would find a tennis team with many familiar faces, such as returning seniors and captains Jengus Ercil ‘23 and Will Vanica ‘23, but also a whole different look and feel.
This year, the team lost one of its main contributors in Jinming Wang '22. His important position has nonetheless been filled by a group of capable players who are determined to take the team to greater heights this year following last year's embarrassing first round playoff loss. The atmosphere surrounding the team this year is undoubtedly more spirited than last year. Before practice, it's common to hear players chatting and joking around with each other, and while the trash talk is still present, it always comes from a place of love. The van rides to games are full of the laughter that leaves your stomach sore for the next hour.
On top of that, the team is holding itself accountable in ways that past teams haven't. When asked about the dynamic of the team, Ercil reflected on a recent team building exercise. It was clear that the focus of the team was starting to slip, and many of the players just weren't putting in maximum effort. So the coach lined up the players, and after a short but stern talk, the whole team was running suicides, five of them to be exact. If one player wasn't putting in full effort the rep was repeated. It took the team eight tries to get the full five reps in. The next day, the team only ran two suicides. It was clear that the players had taken to heart the values the coach was trying to instill, that if one person wasn't trying then that dragged the whole team down. Now, if you walk by the courts you'll hear players reminding teammates to stay focused, that the consequences of the actions of one player will result in running for the whole team.
After a string of frustrating cancellations, the team finally played their first match of the year on March 31st against Cate's renowned rival Thacher. The match was far from close, with Cate coming up with a convincing 14-4 win and the whole team getting playing time by the end of the match. Though tennis is often considered an individual sport, it is anything but. This year, the understanding of the word team cannot be understated. Boys tennis is more of a tight knit community than ever before – this might just be the difference between another disappointing loss when it really matters and a win.